Atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, is increasingly recognized as an important risk factor for dementia. Yet, it remains unclear whether the progression of atherosclerosis at different locations in the arterial system also contributes to changes in the structure or function of the brain, and ultimately to dementia. Knowledge of the dynamics of atherosclerosis and its role in brain changes will greatly improve our insight into the development of dementia. At a later point, this knowledge may even offer therapeutic or preventive opportunities to reduce the number of persons suffering from dementia by targeting atherosclerosis.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a devastating neurological disease for which there currently are no effective therapeutics. Critical to the development of therapeutics that may treat and even cure AD is an understanding of the dynamics (the change over time) of certain amyloid-beta (Aβ) proteins that are a likely cause of AD in the human brain. We are using the most advanced imaging technology to answer these questions in patients in order to accelerate drug development and improve patient outcomes.

A major driver of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the accumulation of the protein tau that travels through the human brain in a constant pattern. Tau molecules become misshapen and aggregate in AD, though no one has yet identified how, or even if, these tau accumulations result in neuronal death. In this research, we have developed a fluorescent tool that will allow us to watch tau collect in neurons both in cell culture as well as the living adult mouse brain. Using this tool, this research aims to observe directly, in real time, what happens once a neuron develops a tau aggregate, as well as to study which genes increase or decrease in a neuron once it develops one of these tau accumulations. Together, these data will help us better understand the immediate changes that occur in adult neurons when they develop AD-like tau accumulations and may help identify new druggable pathways involved in the development of AD in human patients.

Note: This grant was terminated by the investigator in February of 2018 when she left Harvard University for an industry position.

The brain is a complicated system whose different parts interact to support a variety of cognitive functions. This complexity makes it difficult to treat diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, where many different brain areas can be affected, but lead to very similar deficits, such as memory dysfunction. Our research provides a framework of tools to “reconstruct” the brain and build models of different dementias to characterize the unique features of each disease and the final common paths to cognitive impairment. As our work progresses, it will be used to evaluate the potential of therapeutic interventions to help identify treatment targets, or areas of the brain that, if treated, are most likely to result in the best outcome for the individual.

The central aim of this project is to accelerate research into potential Alzheimer's treatments targeting the brain microvasculature. This will be done through our EyeOnALZ project, which uses Citizen Science (a form of crowdsourcing). Without this crowdsourced program, the same research would otherwise take decades to complete. Our approach is to transform a time-consuming laboratory task into an online game that anyone can play. Project success depends upon recruiting and sustaining an active population of public volunteers and improving our ability to extract research value from each participant. We also hope this project provides a hands-on way for people affected by Alzheimer's disease (AD) to make an impact on their own future or that of a loved one, and that it educates the general public about the disease.

Beta-amyloid (Aβ) protein accumulates abnormally in the Alzheimer’s brain, to a degree that is believed to be sufficient to induce neuronal cell death. Evidence suggests that the levels and distribution of lipids in the brain influence the transport and deposition of Aβ protein. The aim of this proposal is to determine the effect of a new treatment based on the administration of a natural modified protein that is able to mobilize lipids in a transgenic mouse model of AD. This protein, the ApoA-I-Milano variant, has been shown to be protective in cardiovascular diseases; however, its properties have never been tested in brain diseases.

In neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the sprouting of new blood vessels (angiogenesis/neovascularization) leads to the death of the nerve cells of the retina. Neovascular AMD places a substantial burden on patients and the healthcare system. Current approaches to block new blood vessels from forming are not effective in many patients and they have serious side effects. There’s an urgent need for effective new ways to prevent these faulty new blood vessels from forming, but not affect the health of retinal nerve cells or the normal blood vessels. To address this need, we are developing a genetic animal model where we can rapidly identify novel, safe and effective drugs for the treatment of neovascular AMD.

Genetic studies have recently uncovered several genes that can elevate the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD), including the BIN1 gene as the second strongest genetic risk factor for late onset AD. My lab has generated a BIN1 transgenic model to mimic the increase of BIN1 protein in the brains of people with AD. My goal is to use this transgenic mouse model to investigate how BIN1 functions as a risk factor in AD. I expect that my proposed research will significantly advance the knowledge about BIN1's function in the physiology of the brain, and reveal how it contributes to AD pathology.

Nerve cells called retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) form the connection between the eye and the brain. In glaucoma, these nerve cells die and vision is permanently lost. We have previously shown that a protein called dual leucine zipper kinase (DLK) is critical for the death of these cells. Thus, this proposal seeks to develop a gene therapy vector that might interfere with DLK and prevent RGC death and accompanying vision loss.

In patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia, the blood vessels of the brain become leaky, which worsens symptoms like memory loss. We are trying to identify why these blood vessels become leaky. If we understand the cause of this leakage, we can potentially target it with new drugs to improve patient outcomes.